The Making of Mini-Mandos

[D'Larian Ferrel Verda]

So, since we have started our costumes, both of my daughters have expressed an interest in having their own armor. Especially my 4 year old. Who one morning woke me up saying "Come on mommy, you have to make my armor". So we have started our work on their kits. So far I just have the younger one's cut out of a thin cardboard to make sure the size is right.

First picture is her tummy plate with mine.



Here is a picture of all of her upper body pieces except her shoulders & back plate. The dollar bill is strictly for size representation to show the size of her plates in perspective to something most can identify with.



She has not finalized her choice of paint but I think she will be using either my colors or Walon's. My older daughter wants a dark purple. I am thinking a paint job similar to Slade's since it has that dark purple sheen to it in certain lights.

My biggest concern with my younger daughter is helmet. She is so tiny, that even the 2-piece Jango helmet swamps her little body. Though I think my older daughter may be able to pull it off.

Now to adjusting the sizing for my 7 yr old.

-Brandi

[MirtaGev]

You're the kind of mom I want to be. Except I'm a man. I want to be a cool parent, thanks for showing me a little bit of this. Your kids are very lucky, you will make them so happy. I have an amazing mother, she's the greatest.

[D'Larian Ferrel Verda]

You're the kind of mom I want to be. Except I'm a man. I want to be a cool parent, thanks for showing me a little bit of this. Your kids are very lucky, you will make them so happy. I have an amazing mother, she's the greatest.

  aww thanks. I do try to be fun and do  things they enjoy. I like to involve them in the things I enjoy. It helps that my fiance Walon is also into all of this as well as my daughters' fathers are both in the 501st. My older daughter got to march in the Gatorbowl Parade year before last as a Jawa. She will also have a miniature sand trooper costume that her dad is planning on making using pepakura.

We are hoping to have all of our kits ready for CVI. I figured I'd post this here so that others who might want to make a kit for their young ones can see the progress I used if they are unsure how to do it themselves. The hardest part I've found is finding the right size. My youngest uses around 12% of the Jango small templates while my older daughter uses about 15% for all but her chest pieces which is 16% for the length and trimmed a little more narrow. I have hers cut out of the cardboard as well, but haven't gotten a picture of them yet. I'll likely get that done this evening.

-Brandi

[Novoc Mereel]

On the helmet, a one-piece Jango may work.  I know they are smaller than a two-piece.  Scratchbuilding is also an option, but requires more effort.

[D'Larian Ferrel Verda]

Where would I find a one piece Jango? I had enough problem finding the 2 piece. 

[Ca'tra Talyc]

IIRC, the one piece is harder to find and more expensive. http://mercs.firespray.net/forum/index.php?topic=13291.0 The first post has pics of a nine-year-old and a six-year-old wearing one-piece helmets...it's still huge. You may have to scratch build.

[Hondo Karr]

A 1 piece Jango would be the best size but, they arent worth double the price of the only slightly larger 2 piece. While the 2 piece is a bit more work, it's half the cost of the 1 piece and a better shaped helmet. The App Team will let kids through with the 2 piece as well even though it's a bit bobbleish. Plus they will get a good few years of trooping from it!

[wthrgssr75]

I bought the "collectors edition" jango that's almost like rubber and have been modding the heck out of it for my 10 year old. Where can I find the 2 piece jango? That blasted CE 1 piece weighs more than my metal bucket.

[Hondo Karr]

You can find them on Amazon and Ebay quite frequently. Generally around $35.00 shipped. Usually search Rubies Jango Mask... the one that comes up in that price range will be it.

[D'Larian Ferrel Verda]

Thanks for the input all. I knew they allowed for bobble heads on the kids, its just my 4 yr old is so small the helmet is nearly as wide as her shoulders  . She will just be my mini mando bobble head lol she won't care much. What is important to her is that  she has armor.

I should have pics of my older daughters templates soon. Just waiting on Walon to upload them to photobucket for me since his comp has the card reader.

-Brandi

[Hagen Nor'ak]

I have to say before I started reading the text I was like  seeing the dollar bill next to the ab plate  But for a 4 yr old it makes sence.
On the helmet situation, there is always scratch building. Find a plastic helmet that fit the wee one and then mod from there (Something I'm doing for my 2 yr old). There also has been a few folks that have made childrens sized helmets in the past; I have one from Solus Kyr (One End) that he made back in the day that fits my 6 yr old well, Cruzer (can be found here and over on the Dented Helmet) has a childs size helmet that he sells pulls of and there was a Texas member around here that had a 3 piece plastic child size helmet.

Looks like your off to a good start, and good luck on getting the family to pick out a color scheme. I know mines been driving me crazy cause they can't make up there minds.

Have a good one,
Hagen

[D'Larian Ferrel Verda]

Yeah my lil one is tiny. But she is determined to have a kit. We think she is probably going to have the same colors as Walon and I are using, so dark green and dark red with brown soft parts. My older one loves the color purple, so I found a dark plum color and I'm going to use a lavender for some accent on it. I have a piece of material from a coat lining that I'm going to incorporate into her kit somewhere that is a coral/tan its too tan to be pink but too pink to be tan, hard to explain, but I think it will look nice when I get it together. Only problem I'm getting with hers is that we have to use Krylon paint instead of the rustoleum and they have a weird nozzle thing on them that makes the painting a pain.

[D'Larian Ferrel Verda]

I have some progress pics. I had to wait for my older daughter to come over from her Dad's to make sure her templates would fit. I had to alter them a bit since she is tall but quite thin. Here they are cut out of the card stock. Next is their pieces drawn onto the tote.



Here are the pieces cut out of the tote. Most have a basic sanding done to them, a couple need the dremel taken to them to smooth out a place or two where the shears left a nicked spot. Pieces in order are: 7yr old, 4yr old, chest pieces together to show size difference, both sets with a sharpie to show size reference. This is all except their collar pieces cut. I haven't had a chance to draft their shoulder bells or their leg armor yet.



Lastly, some pics of the J2P I have, I still need to get one more. I took pics of the areas I know need fixed, all I've done so far is glue it together.





Questions, critiques, random comments are all welcome. More to come as I finish it.

[Buurenaar Morran]

awwwwh :3 yer verd'ike must love you for this!

[Ni'ka]

looking great!! can't wait to see them